Description

Join us for four fun and learning-filled days in beautiful Burlington, Vermont this August.

Watch our 5-minute video compilation from our 2017 teacher workshop.

Our fourth annual summer conference promises to be the best one yet. We’ve grown from 20 participants in 2015, to 40 in 2016, to over 80 last year. We plan to cap the conference at 120 participants this year to maintain the intimate atmosphere we’ve become known for. We become like an extended family over the four days as we share incredible experiences in and out of the classroom.

Over the course of these four days you will:

♦ Observe master teachers teaching (elementary, middle, high school and adult) students language classes. You also have the option in being a student in these classes.♦ Engage in hands-on workshops in the afternoons. (Options for beginner and experienced CI teachers)

♦ Gain confidence in your ability to teach delightfully engaging classes that get your students understanding and speaking your language with ease (with limited planning time required of you!)

♦ Connect with a new group of friends and colleagues to support you in your adventure using TPRS/CI in the coming school year and beyond.

Our instructors and presenters:

We are excited to be bringing together another star-studded cast of language teachers this summer. Our instructors have diverse teaching styles so you have the chance to experience many different approaches to teaching with Comprehensible Input. We are working to confirm several of our instructors, but so far we are thrilled to announce that..

Teacher workshops in the afternoons will provide context and greater understanding of the skills involved in this way of teaching as well as guided practice and coaching. Latin teachers will have a special track of workshops with Justin Slocum Bailey. Mandarin teachers will have a special workshop with Ben Wang.

All teachers will have the opportunity to practice skills and techniques experienced in the classes in supportive coaching sessions.

Get graduate-level credit
Graduate-level credit is available through the University of the Pacific for an additional fee of $62/credit and writing 3-page paper per credit. We will provide you with the credit forms at the conference. For University credit questions/information please contact Dr. Lifson, University of the Pacific , Program Coordinator, 800 479 1995.

Training includes:Morning language classes Latin, Spanish, French (beginner + upper levels offered).
These language classes are open to local elementary, middle and high school students as well as adults so that teachers can observe real-live students and teachers. Teachers are also welcome to participate in the classes as a student.
Afternoon teacher workshops (including special sessions for teachers of Latin and Mandarin)
Access to online database of resources
Large doses of laughter and fun

Bring the family! Turn it into a vacation!
Would you like your child(ren) (and spouse?) to participate in our language camp? This fee is only $50/family member when you are enrolled in the 4-day workshop. Register here
Use coupon code “teacherworkshop” to get the discount.

Visiting from out of town?Burlington is a gorgeous and lively small city- located right on Lake Champlain and surrounded by rolling green hills. It has an international airport– making it easy for out-of-state participants to join us. We have reserved a block of discounted rooms at the Comfort Suites- just down the road from the workshop. Use this link to access the special rate for our group. Amtrak offers daily service between NYC and Burlington, VT.

Looking for a room mate? We can send you a link to a Google Doc after you register to help you connect with others looking to share a room. Or local teachers happy to host you.

About the Instructors

Elissa McLean
Founder, Director, and Spanish Instructor

Elissa founded Express Fluency in 2012 to bring Comprehensible-Input based language classes to adults. Tired of hearing (almost) everyone say “I studied (fill in the blank) language in school for 4 years and I can’t speak a word now” – she decided to be part of a movement to change that. She holds a Masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and has taught Spanish to students from preschool to college and adults. Prior to teaching Spanish full-time she co-founded two innovative expedition-based high schools. She loves to travel, meet new people, hang out with her 13-year old daughter, and help bring more joy and multilingualism into the world.

Justin Slocum Bailey
Latin Instructor

Justin Slocum Bailey, a longtime learner and teacher of Latin and other languages, operates Indwelling Language, a collection of resources and habits for boosting joy and success in language learning and teaching. In addition to teaching languages rapturously, Justin trains and mentors teachers and learners worldwide while helping schools, publishers, software developers, and nonprofits make the world a better place for language learning. He also serves on the board and faculty of the North American Institute for Living Latin Studies (SALVI), coordinates the Latin Listening Project, and is the translator of TPRS® Publishing’s forthcoming Brando Brown Canem Vult. Justin grew up in Vienna, Austria, and now lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with his wife and two German-speaking children. When he’s not playing with languages, Justin enjoys studying and teaching jujutsu and lolling lakeside with his family.

Annabelle Allen
Spanish Instructor (elementary)

Annabelle Allen, a.k.a. La Maestra Loca, is a passionate Spanish teacher at St. Martin’s Episcopal School in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she has taught for two years. Annabelle loves teaching middle school but she has taught students ranging from 2-82 years old. She taught for a year in China in 2014-15 and before that taught for 4 years in public schools in Denver, Colorado, where she learned from a community of brilliant CI (Comprehensible-Input) teachers in the area. Since then she has developed her own unique style, which her students call “loca” or “crazy”. She enjoys helping students of ALL ages acquire the Spanish language. Her goal for her students, children and adults, is communication and joy. In her free time Annabelle enjoys traveling the world and blogging about her travels. She also loves eating! Anything and everything, even duck tongue and sheep brain! Her favorite thing in the world is spending time with her family, and picnicking with her boyfriend Paul and bonus-daughter Isla Rose who just turned three and LOVES all things magical like unicorns, fairies, and mermaids, just like La Maestra Loca.

Martina Bex
Presenter
Martina Bex is a former Spanish teacher with a passion for curriculum development; in particular, for exploring cultural topics using high-frequency vocabulary. In addition to presenting at state and national conferences, Martina has worked with Fluency Matters, TPRS Books, and McGraw-Hill Education on various projects since 2011 and with school districts across North America as a curriculum and instructional consultant. She taught for two years at Syracuse University and four years at a public middle school in Anchorage before making the decision to stay home with her own children full-time. While her kids are sleeping, she sneaks away to post CI-based lesson plans, activities, and strategies on her blog, “The Comprehensible Classroom” (www.martinabex.com).

Mike Peto
Spanish Instructor

Mike Peto is Department Chair of World Languages at Temescal Canyon High School in Lake Elsinore, CA. He has been a Spanish teacher since 2000 and has run the heritage speakers program at his high school since 2007. He is a dedicated CI teacher (that is, a teacher who designs classroom instruction that follows the research of linguist Stephen Krashen) and writes about his teaching on the education blog My Generation of Polyglots. He has presented at NTPRS on the topic of pleasure reading programs in world language classrooms and has published an essay in the seminal guide to the TPRS method, Fluency through TPR Storytelling (Ray & Seely, 7th edition, 2016). He has also published a limited vocabulary novel for language learners of Spanish, Superburguesas and maintains a Teachers Pay Teachers store named after his blog, My Generation of Polyglots. If you ever meet him, ask him about his favorite hiking trip in Chilean Patagonia.

Tina Hargaden
French Instructor

Tina Hargaden is a middle school French and Spanish teacher in Portland Public Schools (Oregon). She has taught middle school for twelve years, and she has enjoyed (almost!) every minute. She loves the creativity, community, and smiles that comprehension-based teaching brings to her classroom each day. Tina has presented at several conferences and is organizing the Cascadia CI conference in June 2017. Recently Tina collaborated with Ben Slavic on a book called A Natural Approach to Stories – the Invisibles. She is really excited about helping other teachers find the fun, ease, and happiness that comprehension-based teaching has brought her. Tina has a firm belief that everyone can be successful with CI strategies, teachers and students alike. Tina also enjoys riding her bike, yoga, theatre, drawing, reading, taking walks with her dog, Max, and listening to music.

Anna Gilcher, Ph.D.
French Instructor

Anna Gilcher is an independent teacher of French and a teacher coach and trainer in the Washington, DC area. She presents workshops at conferences around the country on teaching languages using comprehensible input and creating diversity-positive, anti-bias classrooms (with her colleague Rachelle Adams of Elevate Education Consulting). She has also been engaged in teacher training work internationally, most notably with the Aumazo program in Bankondji, Cameroon. Anna has been a presenter and on the coaching team for the National TPRS conference since 2016, and has been a College Board AP Reader since 2014. Her AP French syllabus was published by Vista Publishing as a sample syllabus for the Thèmes textbook in January 2016 (click here to visit page).

Anna is also a certified InterPlay leader (www.interplay.org), a dedicated practitioner of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), a licensed lay preacher in the Episcopal Church, a committed yogi, and a graduate of the Shalem Spiritual Guidance Program.

Reviews

Carmen –August 21, 2016

I learned so much about TPR and TPRS in three days thanks to Express Fluency. By participating in the classes as a student and then as an observer, I was able to witness firsthand the language learning process and later reflect on the method with other language educators. All three teachers were phenomenal: clear, organized, and engaging. I also appreciated the warm classroom environment, especially when participants were given the opportunity to try out the method on each other. Thank you!

Claire Lefferts –August 22, 2016

I am so glad I attended Express Fluency’s Latin teacher training and stayed an extra day to participate as a student in the French class! Justin ignited his Latin class and demonstrated so many TPRS skills for us to learn. During teacher debriefs it was wonderful to discuss with other teachers the application of this method to our beloved ‘dead’ language, with all the expectations that are placed on Latin teachers. During the French class, I was able to get a taste of being on the other said as Sabrina utilized the same techniques with her own personal variations. Being able to both watch and then participate was crucial, because I now understand not only the techniques being employed but what it feels like to be the student. This will affect how I interact with my students and make sure I’m maintaining comprehensibility. I must also add that Elissa was a great facilitator, available for questions and offering resources to us. For three days I was in a great community. I hope to be able to attend next year to continue to develop my CI and TPRS skills.

Johnny Lee Conroy –September 10, 2016

The teacher training was an exciting introduction to TPRS and a community of learners and teachers. Being able to experience it as a student, and then review that experience with other teachers was a brilliant way to internalize the theory and practice. Shortly after the training I had the chance to try out the methodology in a week-long language class that I taught. My students knew something new and exciting was going on and they were engaged and energized. We all had a great time, and learned some Irish to boot.

Learning the methodology works regardless of the language you teach. In my case it’s Irish (one of the Gaelic tongues) and it has proven to be immediately applicable, even though most of the literature, examples and other written resources are demonstrated using Spanish, French or Mandarin.

I am fortunate to live in Brattleboro where I have easy access to the Express Fluency gang. I’m very much looking forward to where we go with this.

Joy Wilson –September 11, 2016

This past spring, I observed another language teacher use TPRS/CI and instantly wanted to use it in my classroom, but didn’t know where to begin. Luckily, I found Express Fluency! I attended the August teacher training and was astounded at how much Spanish I knew after the first day. The method is fun, engaging, and teaches you without actually realizing you are learning. All the trainers were wonderful and so helpful. I also thoroughly enjoyed the methodology part of the training. It gave me the confidence to integrate TPRS on day 1 of the new school year. I highly recommend Express Fluency for teachers and students alike!

Victoria Heflin –September 18, 2016

I had seen and read about the TPRS and comprehensible input method of foreign language teaching, and was interested in the weekend program. It was incredible to me how much Spanish I learned and was actually able to use on just day one! Our classroom was filled with people from all different backgrounds, all ages, together in one comfortable learning community. All of the teachers at Express Fluency are amazing and it is obvious from the first minute that they love what they do. During the teacher training portion of the program, they practiced with us and answered all of our questions. There is no doubt that they are excited to bring the TPRS/CI method to as many teachers as possible!
The weekend was so energizing for me as a French teacher! I have been able to share this enthusiasm with my students and have been using TPRS/CI ever since. My students report that they are having fun, look forward to more stories and that I should “keep it up!” I will definitely be looking into more training at Express Fluency.

Viviana Hardy –January 16, 2017

I learned about CI/TPRS last summer when I was desperately looking for a different way to teach Spanish to my 8th grade students. I read all I could find but needed some face-to-face training. That’s when I came across Express Fluency and Elissa. What a find! I participated in the weekend program in August and the Follow-Up Workshop in the fall. The teacher training allowed me to experience firsthand what my students must feel when confronted with a new language, when I was a student in Sabrina’s French class. And I had the chance to observe Elissa and Laurie using the same techniques (movie-talk, readers-theater, etc) with their own personal touches in their Spanish classes. The Follow-Up Workshop was an excellent opportunity to learn and share experiences with other language teachers as well as to learn and practice new and known techniques. Both experiences were awesome and left me feeling energized and if not ready (lots of trepidation as to “will I be able to pull it off”) to try it out on my students.

I can report that this school year has been a totally different experience for me and my students. They are spontaneously trying to speak Spanish both in class and outside. They are having fun and acquiring the language without even realizing they are doing so.

I highly recommend Express Fluency teacher training.

Heather Way –August 16, 2017

WOW. What a productive and invigorating week! This is one of the best teacher trainings I’ve done and I would highly recommend it. I’ve never been so excited to get back into the classroom in the fall so I can start implementing some of the techniques I gleaned during this training week. To see master teachers in action was a privilege. I hope I can attend this workshop in the future.

Jeronimo Garrigues –August 16, 2017

What a wonderful experience was to participate in this teachers training! Being able to observe a real classroom situation and then being able to talk about the different techniques was very enriching and, one week later, I am still trying to absorb/learn all that I experienced during this workshop. The presenters showed a clear understanding and gave clear steps about how to teach a language using Comprehensible Input. Beyond that, they showed a deep commitment to excel in what they do and a deep respect and care for the students. Very inspiring! I encourage all language teacher to attend a workshop. There is so much to assimilate that I am planning to be there next time! THANK YOU!

Megan Hughes –August 18, 2017

I had a tremendous time at the teacher training last week. It was inspiring. I really appreciate the time and effort that was put into organizing such a well run conference and I especially appreciate the speakers you recruited to present. I attended Dustin, Annabelle and Justin’s sessions. all were beyond inspiring as well as generous and smart. and my daughter loved the language classes. I am excited to start my school year after such a great training provided by Express Fluency.

Adriana C. –August 24, 2017

I have been practicing Ci for a while but I still found so many useful things this week, from how to organize my classes to become better at PQA, slowing down and teaching CI to upper levels. Also, what it was more relevant to me to me was that this conference was small enough that you could ask many questions to the presenters and you will run into them in the dining hall so it felt very cozy and that you connect to them. The sample classes in the morning gave you a true glimpse and what the flow of a real classroom could be. I brushed up on my French and learn some Latin. Papae!!!